Planograpm co



E. H. MARBLE.

CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT.3, 1918.

1,3 1 1, 080. Patented July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- In 1/922 zoz".

THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAFH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

E. H. MARBLE.

CLOTH rowme MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3.1918. 1 ,31 1,080, Patented July 22, 1919.

2 snmssum 2.

MIT

IIIIIIIMI IIIIIIIIIIIIII E IlIIIIi: r

. .Z'm/enfor 590W MJQVM,

COLUMBIA ILANDGRAPH co, WASHINGTDN D c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWI1\T.H. MARBLE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 CURTIS &MARBLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATIONOFMASSA- CHUSETTS.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed September 3, 1918: Serial No, 252,294;

cloth-carrying folder-blades is employed for laying the cloth inoppositely directed folds upon a receiving table, and tucking the foldededge beneath projecting fold-retaining jaws, by the folder bladeentering adja cently beneath the projecting edge of the jaw.

The prime object of my present invention is to provide a protector orwarning guard, comprising an automatic means for preventing a personfrom inadvertently getting his hand or fingers pinched between thefold-retaining jaw and the approaching cloth-carrying folder-blade. A

A further object is to provide a clothfolding machine with a movableshield or safety device for guarding the junction of the jaw andfolder-blades; and means for operating said safety device actuated fromthe folder, operating shaft, or in connection with the folder actuatingmeans.

Another object is to provide an oscillatable protective means or warningguard, combined with and overlying the front foldreceiving jaw, andhaving an axis or rock ing support parallel therewith; and means forautomatically lifting or moving said guard, operative in conjunctionwith the operating' means 'of the folder-blades or table action.

The nature and features of my invention are more clearly set forth andexplained in the following description, with reference to theaccompanying illustrative drawings; the particular subject matterclaimed being definitely expressed inthe summary,

Of the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation view of such partsof alclothfolding machine aswill illustrate the nature of my invention.Fig. 2 represents a plan view of a portion of thefront end of acloth-folding machine showing the top of the protector guard andadjacentparts.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of thesame at lineXX. Fig. 4 is an end viewshowing the guard elevated. Fig. 5 is a framentary side view showing aconnecting joint for. the guard-operating rod with the foot of theblade-supporting swing-bar. Fig. 6 is a similar View illustratingposition changes. Fig. 7 is a front detail view showing a portion at oneend of the folder-blades and connections therefor, and Fig. 8 is afragmentary view of the top end of the camlevers and its actuating cam.

' In its general construction and fold-forming operations the clothfolding machine, with which my invention is designed to be incorporated,may be substantially such as heretofore employed, or of any approvedconstruction to which the present invention is applicable. A machine ofsuch character, having my invention embodied therewith, is shown inoutline in Fig. 1, and for a clearer understanding of the same may bebriefly here described.

On the drawing, A denotes the frame; B the power shaft; C theoperating-shaft having the cranks D and cams E, E fixed thereon forrotative action; said shaft being ro.- tated by pulleys and belt fromthe shaft B, or by other approved means.

F indicates the bed or table upon which the cloth is folded, in usualmanner, by the backwardly and forwardly moving foldingblades I which arepivotally mounted at their ends upon swinging supports G, and connectedwith the cranks D by a rod H at each side of the machine.

J indicates the front fold-retaining jaw and J the rear fold-retainingjaw, mounted stationary upon the frame at the respective ends of thetable; and L, L denote the usual table-supporting mechanisms adapted fordropping and lifting the table for receiving the folds from the blades Iwhich are supported u on rods or bars G, to swing, back and fort forcarrying the ,web of cloth and tucking the alternate folds beneaththejaws. M is the" slasher guide-rod pivoted on the overhead bracket at P,and sliding through the head of the blade bar, as indicated on Figs. 1and "7, for tipping'the blades I forward or backward to their edgewiseposition as they coact with the respective jaws J and J As indicated inFig. 1, the folder blades I are assumed to be moving toward the frontjaw J.

i R amenindicate levers or swinging bars,

jured.

fulcrumed at their lower ends at'f; their upper ends being inwardlyoffsetand provided with ears, or furcated, and each furnished with aroller 7 (see-Figs. 1 and 8) journaled therein, that contacts with itsactuating cam E or E upon theop'enating shaft. The rod S connects theswing-bar R with the front table-operating mechanism L, and the rod Tconnects the swingbar R with the rear table-operating mechanism L Duringthe operation of folding cloth the folding-blades I enter beneath thejaws very close to theface thereof, when tucking the edge of the foldthereunder, the edge of the table being for the instant de nressedsufficient for its reception, as will be understood. The forward swingof the folder-blades occurs from forty to sixty times perminute, more orless, in the regular process of folding ordinary cloth fabrics.

The operator, standing at the front'of the machine, at 0, assists inguiding the cloth K by spreading or smoothing it out with his hands,between the guide roll or bar at P and blades I, or between the bladesand the front jaw J, as may seem n'ecessary'for keeping the fabric evenand smooth. Through carelessness or inadvertence an operator, in-jspector or overseer may, under ordinary conditions, unwittingly rest ahand upon the top of the jaw J, or fail to remove his hand from aposition of danger as the folderblades approach; consequently thefingers, if exten lingbeyond the edge of the jaw, may be hit or caughtbetween'the blades and jaw andthereby become severely pinched or in= Toobviate liability of such 'acci' dents -I combine with the front jaw andfoldlaying devices a movable guard or protective means arranged forautomatically oper ating in co-active relation with the foldformingmechanism, and preferably actuated'by the same mechanism that operatesthe swing of the foldenblades, said guard adapted for giving a warningaction, or forcing the removal of the hand from dangerous positions.

I In-the embodiment of my invention, I ar-i range overthefrontfold-retaining jaw J,

a-movable shield or guard 2, preferably extending longitudinallyparallel therewith and "formed to iiormally lie adjacent to the topsurface-of the jaw, ator near its working edge. Said guard isbestsupported by arms 3 fixed upon a rocker shaft or aXis' member 5mounted in bearings 4 attachedto the frame or body part of the jaw, andaffording a hin-ging connection" so that the guard may be elevated orswing outward away from the top surface of the jaw,-as indicated inFig;74,or closed down thereon, as indicated "in Fig. '3.

An arm 6 is secured upon 'the' sh-aft 5,

j and connected by a pivotallyattached 'ro'd.

7 "with a'suitable moving member of the folder mechanism, for impartingan elevative movement to the guard 2 synchio nous with the approach ofthe folder-blades I toward the jaw J and before said blades come intoclose conjunction therewith. In

the present instance the rod 7 is connected with *the swinging carrier Gthat supports the folding-blades I. The fulcrum block or member 8 at thefoot of said carrier is pro vided with a stud 9 fixed in, and projectingfrom said member and positioned eccentric to the fulcrum pivot 10. Thelower end of the guard-actuating connection rod 7 is provided with anelongated eye 12 in which said stud engages for operatively uniting theparts, but permitting a predetermined degree of lost motion be tween thelimits *of'the eye, so that the pro tecting guard will be actuated onlyat a given interval of the folder -blade movement. Figs. 5 and 6illustrate the relation of the stud and eye at different positions inthe swing of the folder blade movement.

The operating cranks D and connections Hand Gare, in practice, arrangedat each side of the machine; and the aim 6 and connecting rods 7 areprovided at each end of the rocking shafts 5. V

In the operation, when the folder-blades swing toward the front jaw thestud 9 is brought into contact with the lower end of the eye 12, and thefurther movement of the folder means causes depression of the rod andelevation of the guard '2, until the motion is reversed. Then whenrearward movement of the folder blades occurs, the stud 9 moves up theeye 12 until the guard is allowed to close down by its gravity (or withthe aid of a'spring, if one is desired) after which the stud simplyswings the end of the rod rearward without exerting any endwiseaction'thereon, until the blades 1 are again approaching the front jaw.

*It is not necessary that in all instances that the shield or guard 2 bemade to cover the entire upper surface of. the jaw J provided said guardis of a suitable form and dimension to afford, by its movement, aprotection or cautionary warningwhich will induce an operator or personto remove his hand from a position of danger in respect to theapproaching folder-blades I, if perchance it is encroaching on the bladereceiving edgeof the jaw.

The-guard 2 being operated from the same source of movement thatactuates the swinging *of the folder-blades, or'table-actuating devices,the guard action is rendered accurately synchronous therewith, but justprior to the fold-tucking action where the folder-blade enters beneaththe aw.

-What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' -1. In afoldingmachine of the character specified, the combination with theclothreceiving table, cloth-carrying blades, and front fold-retainingjaw; of an elevatable guard positioned normally adjacent thetop surfaceof said jaw, and means actuated synchronous with the blade movement, forraising said guard therefrom as the clothcarrying blades approach thejaw, but before inserting the fold of cloth beneath the jaw.

52. In combination with the folding blades and fold-receiving-jaw in acloth-folding machine, a protective guard consisting of an approximatelyconformed .shield or plate adjacently overlying and extending along thetop surface of said fold-receiving jaw longitudinally parallel with itsedge, an oscillatable support or shaft to which said shield is connectedto have movement toward and from the jaw, and operative connections forimparting movement thereto, actuated and controlled by thefolder-operating mechanism, and adapted for elevating said shield as thefolding blades approach the foldreceiving jaw.

3. In combination with the folding mechanism in a cloth-folding machine,including a depressible table, swinging folder-blades, and a stationaryjaw; a hingedly attached guard located along the top of the front jaw,and automatically acting means for operating said guard controlled bythe movement of the folding mechanism.

4. In a cloth-folding machine, including a receiving table, backwardlyand forwardly reversing cloth-carrying blades, and foldretaining jawsbeneath which the folds of cloth are delivered by said blades; aprotective guard overlying the forward jaw, comprising means forrepelling a hand from position of danger as the cloth-carrying bladesapproach said jaw, movement being imparted thereto from an operatingpart of the machine.

5. In a cloth-folding machine of the character described, thecombination with the table, fold-retaining jaws, folder-blades, andswinging supports therefor; of the operating shaft, cranks fixed on saidshaft, rods connecting the cranks and folder-blades, a movableprotecting guard arranged upon the front fold-retaining jaw,guard-lifting devices, and connections operatively uniting saidguard-lifting devices with the swinging folder-blade supports.

6. In a cloth-folding machine, in combination with the yieldablysupported table, backwardly and forwardly swinging clothcarryingfolder-blades, and stationary foldretaining jaw; of a movable protectiveguard disposed along the top of said jaw, an axisshaft parallel withsaid jaw, means uniting said guard and axis-shaft, and means for rockingsaid axis-shaft for moving the guard at a predetermined interval, inconnection with the means that actuates the cloth-carrier blades.

7 In combination with the fold-forming mechanism, cloth-supportingtable, and table-actuating devices, in a cloth-folding machine, and theoperating shaft having cams mounted thereon; the pivotally fulorumedantifriction cam-levers provided with inwardly offset furcated endshaving rollers journaled therein, said levers actuated by said cams,connection-rods operatively uniting said levers with the tableactuatingdevices, fold-retaining jaws coacting with said table to grip the folds,a repelling protective guard for the forward jaw, and means operatingsaid guard and fold-forming parts in synchronous relation, for thepurposes set forth.

' Witness my hand this 29th day of August, 1918.

EDWIN H. MARBLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

